Signs that you should not go for a bike ride

The side of the wheels on Fredrikshavn’s bikes, where the spokes are, have a cute plastic disc advertising that they are city bikes. At least they were cute until the wind picked up. Then they acted as an impediment to travel- part brake and part sail working hard to stop me in my tracks and blow me sideways.

I should have known the bike ride was doomed when the back wheel began to squeak rhythmically while in motion. Maybe the tip off could have come from the loose steering, the drunken appearance of which had the bike moving in anything but a straight line.

Another glaring sign that I should have walked may have been when my skirt flew up all the way up when I reached the first busy intersection. Rather than cause an accident and perhaps getting in trouble for indecent exposure or being lewd in public, I decided to go back to the hotel and change into pants.

That’s probably when I should have decided to walk around town instead of biking. But I didn’t.

I got back on the bike and headed to the Palm Beach.
Up an enormous hill.
With the wind pushing me back down.
Funny thing, biking back into town felt like I was still going uphill… Maybe it was just the heavy rain that hit while I was at the beach that made it feel that way.

My citybike is now retired to the front of the hotel where it lives and I will be walking the rest of the time with the umbrella I bought to replace my lost raincoat.

So to conclude, please keep in mind any one of the following might be reasons to avoid going for a bike ride on any given day. Simultaneous occurrence of all results in a definite suggestion from me to walk.

1.Wheel covers that act as brakes and/or sails
2. A squeaky wheel
3. Inability to steer
4. Inability to remain clothed while riding
5. Wind fighting you the entire time
6. When it is uphill in both directions
7. Ominous clouds in the distance